diff --git a/core/iwasm/libraries/wasi-nn/src/wasi_nn_llamacpp.c b/core/iwasm/libraries/wasi-nn/src/wasi_nn_llamacpp.c
index 5e985ec35..2e1e64936 100644
--- a/core/iwasm/libraries/wasi-nn/src/wasi_nn_llamacpp.c
+++ b/core/iwasm/libraries/wasi-nn/src/wasi_nn_llamacpp.c
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ extern char const *LLAMA_COMMIT;
 extern char const *LLAMA_COMPILER;
 extern char const *LLAMA_BUILD_TARGET;
 
+#if WASM_ENABLE_WASI_EPHEMERAL_NN == 0
+#error This backend doesn't support legacy "wasi_nn" abi. Please enable WASM_ENABLE_WASI_EPHEMERAL_NN.
+#endif
+
 // compatible with WasmEdge
 // https://github.com/second-state/WasmEdge-WASINN-examples/blob/master/wasmedge-ggml/README.md#parameters
 // https://github.com/WasmEdge/WasmEdge/blob/master/plugins/wasi_nn/ggml.cpp
diff --git a/core/iwasm/libraries/wasi-nn/src/wasi_nn_openvino.c b/core/iwasm/libraries/wasi-nn/src/wasi_nn_openvino.c
index 4ddc51910..899e06ee3 100644
--- a/core/iwasm/libraries/wasi-nn/src/wasi_nn_openvino.c
+++ b/core/iwasm/libraries/wasi-nn/src/wasi_nn_openvino.c
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
 
 #include "openvino/c/openvino.h"
 
+#if WASM_ENABLE_WASI_EPHEMERAL_NN == 0
+#error This backend doesn't support legacy "wasi_nn" abi. Please enable WASM_ENABLE_WASI_EPHEMERAL_NN.
+#endif
+
 /*
  * refer to
  * https://docs.openvino.ai/2024/openvino-workflow/running-inference/integrate-openvino-with-your-application.html